Self-driving Mercs in the US will display a newly approved blue light

Future Mercedes-Benz models running in self-driving mode will use special blue (turquoise, specifically) marker lights in the US in what the car maker says is a world-first.

California and Nevada state regulators have granted approval for the German car makers’ autonomous development program – which uses its Drive Pilot feature – to run industry-standard turquoise external lighting making them instantly recognisable as Level 3 autonomous vehicles.

Permitted for use on 2026 model-year Mercedes EQS and S-Class sedans, the car maker said in a statement: “The inclusion of marker lights is poised to substantially enhance public acceptance of automated driving and contribute to road safety, as the lights make the automated driving system's status clearly visible from the exterior.”

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Turquoise may seem an unusual choice, however it was selected to provide a distinct look and avoid clashing with any existing legal lights or more common colours.

“This also allows traffic law enforcement and police officers to identify the system’s status and determine whether drivers are permitted to engage in secondary activities during the conditionally automated journey,” according to Mercedes.

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In January 2023, Mercedes-Benz was the first car maker to receive legal approval to run a Level 3 autonomous vehicle on public roads in the US – compared to Tesla Autopilot which is Level 2 – and remains the only brand permitted to do so.

A fleet of EQS sedans were the first Level 3-equipped autonomous vehicles legally driven on US public roads.

Level 3 autonomous vehicle testing was made legal in Germany in 2021.

The news comes as other car makers continue legal and ethical challenges in testing autonomous vehicle systems on public roads, which is currently not legal in Australia.

More than two-million Teslas were recalled in the US earlier in December 2023 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after one of two ongoing probes by the safety body found that the system required more driver steering wheel contact for safety reasons.

General Motors has also recently gutted its high-level staff at its Cruise autonomous sub-brand, which operated Level 2 autonomous Chevrolet Bolt EVs.

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The restructure followed the death of a pedestrian which led to its operating licence in California being revoked, the grounding of its near 1000-car fleet and subsequent recall.

It also cancelled a collaboration with Honda to build several affordable electric vehicle, with General Motors reinstating the cancelled Chevrolet Bolt for 2025.